This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

Saturday, December 2, 2006

As families fled their homes in the early morning hours on Thursday October 26, there was no warning. The Esperanza Fire southeast of Los Angeles and West of Palm Springs, California, had ballooned under the influence of Santa Ana winds to more than 19,000 acres as of the morning of October 27. No time to get the animals, no time for crates or even a leash. Sadly, owners left behind not only their horses, lamas, donkeys, chickens, rabbits, but also their dogs and cats.

Many of the families who did manage to evacuate their pets found themselves in the parking lot at the Fellowship in the Pass Church Red Cross Shelter where a MuttShack Animal Rescue team caught up with them.

Pam Anderson, Director of the emergency Red Cross shelter said that many people with animals had come and left.

The air was thick with smoke, and ash was raining down on the parking lot where dog owners, not able to take their dogs into the shelter were camping out in pup tents andin their cars.

Those who could afford it checked themselves into pet friendly hotels in nearby towns.

Some were prepared. Jane Garner, a small dog breeder was able to get all her animals out, and had set up her puppy runs alongside her RV in the parking lot. Others were not doing too well, having left home without as much as a leash.

The same scenario played out at the Red Cross shelter at Hemet High School. Animals were being boarded in vans, trailers and cars and small travel crates.

When MuttShack Animal Rescue arrived, a small fracas had sent several dogs off in different directions, running out of the school parking lot down busy streets necessitating an instant rescue response.

The Incident Command for the Esperanza Animals, Ramona Humane Society in San Jacinto welcomed MuttShack‘s offer to help at the shelters.

Ramona Humane Society had recently published a notice in their Newsletter about the newly passed “PETS Act”and warned owners not wait until a major disaster such as an earthquake or fireto prepare. “Be proactive to ensure that your pet will be taken care of.”

MuttShack and PetSmart Charities set up ad hoc facilities for the animals at both shelters.

The Red Cross shelter, run by Madison Burtchaell of the Orange County Red Cross was very accommodating about allowing a small emergency pet shelter adjacent to the School.

Barbara A. Fought of PetSmart Charities, an organization that works with animal welfare organizations and provide assistance in disasters, provided crates and emergency supplies.

It was a great relief for evacuees who had camped out in the parking lot to finally leave their vehicles and relax at the shelter, setting up their cots to grab some sorely needed rest.

Firefighters and residents reported loss of wildlife and animals. The Esperanza fire burned 34 homes, consumed 40,000 acres and cost five Firefighters their lives before it was contained four days later on October 30. Firefighting operations cost nearly $10 million.

MuttShack Animal Rescue is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization active in disasters and dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and care of lost or discarded dogs, cats and other animals.

In a completely edentulous case, one replacement method that can be built upon the dental implant is the ball-and-socket removable denture. Overall, the ball-and-socket removable denture is said to be the simplest method that can be used to replace an ill-fitting denture. This may usually need 2-4 implants, depending on the quantity and quality of the bone present in the area. Dentists find that this overdenture is more suited for the lower jaw compared to its fit in the upper jaw. Also, in this overdenture, implants have ball-type inserts which are either screwed or cemented into them in order to fit into an O-ring type attachment sites in the underside of the denture.

Being without teeth or being edentulous can gravely affect how a person functions in daily life. We have learned that a completely edentulous case means that all of the teeth in the upper or lower arch and that there are several replacements which can be used on such a condition. On the other hand, a partially edentulous case means that patients only have some of their natural teeth missing. This could possibly result from mild deterioration of the teeth or from a minor accident. Such case can easily be remedied using two types of replacements: a) The Fixed Bridge where cement or a screw is used, and; b) The Single Tooth Replacement.

Dental implant case types are normally categorized according to whether all or only some of the teeth are missing. Cases are then further classified according to the type of replacement teeth needed to be built on the implants. When a case is classified as completely edentulous, it means that all of the patient s teeth in the upper or lower arch are missing. This could probably be a result of an extreme deterioration of the teeth or of a serious accident. Completely edentulous cases typically requires any of the following types of replacement teeth: a) The Ball and Socket Removable Overdenture; b) The Bar-Retained Removable Overdenture; c) The Screwed-in Fixed Bridge, and; d) The Cemented Fixed Bridge.

Unfortunately, it seems that getting that right dental insurance for implants is harder than one thinks, and if one does find a dental insurance plan that covers dental implants, it will still bring about a certain degree of anxiety since most probably, the total costs of getting dental implants will certainly not be covered by the insurance plan. Yes, that s right talk about insurance headaches. Expect that most insurance providers will agree to pay only a part of the dental procedure (like paying for the co pay for the implant treatment or a percentage of the entire treatment costs). Just be sure to check carefully for the policies that your dental insurance provider has given you so that you can prepare the extra budget needed in getting your dental implants.

We all know how much a dental implant costs nowadays and not being able to prepare financially for such an expensive dental procedure can surely take a toll on your personal savings. That is why it is important to do some extra research on dental insurance plans that can cover dental implants surgery. More often than not, dental insurance plans with implant insurance are more costly than the average dental insurance plan and a lot of patients attest to the difficulty of securing a good implant insurance plan. Some insurance companies even have their patients wait for a year or more before dental implant surgery can be covered. In short, it will be a lot harder for patients to find a suitable dental implant insurance plan so it is highly advisable for them to consider all financial options available.

About the Author: Jon Caldwell is a professional content manager. Much of his articles can be found at

The Ubuntu Foundation released its third version of the popular GNU/Linux operating system distribution yesterday. Codenamed “Breezy Badger”, the release improves on its predecessor, Hoary Hedgehog, with updated versions of packages such as OpenOffice.org, new computer management tools, special installation modes for computer manufacturers, and a “thin client” mode for large networks of homogenous computers. The new version also improves support for laptop computers, portable media players, Bluetooth devices, PowerPC processors, and other hardware.

Because the software in the GNU/Linux operating system comes with permission for everyone to modify and redistribute it, there are many versions (called “distributions”) of the operating system available. Ubuntu builds on the popular Debian GNU/Linux distribution. Like Debian, it is made almost entirely of free software.

Users quickly swarmed the Ubuntu Foundation’s servers trying to download the new version. The servers are currently responding slowly; moderators at the Ubuntu Forums suggested that users download with BitTorrent if at all possible, which is much less prone to such slowdowns.

Although its first release was only a year ago, Ubuntu Linux has quickly become one of the most popular Linux distributions. It is intended to be user-friendly without being insecure by design, a charge sometimes leveled against other beginner-friendly distributions like Linspire. The distribution is offered for free, and CDs are available for order via the Internet without charge (including shipping).

A magnitude 8.1 undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami that has killed at least fifteen people, including six children, in the Solomon Islands. Tsunami warnings have been issued for parts of Australia as well.

[edit]

This article mentions that Wi-Fi stands for “Wireless Fidelity”, although this is disputed.

Thursday, July 7, 2005

A Florida man is being charged with 3rd degree felony for logging into a private Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) Internet access point without permission. Benjamin Smith III, 41, is set for a pre-trial hearing this month in the first case of its kind in the United States.

This kind of activity occurs frequently, but often goes undetected by the owners of these wireless access points (WAPs). Unauthorized users range from casual Web browsers, to users sending e-mails, to users involved in pornography or even illegal endeavours.

According to Richard Dinon, owner of the WAP Smith allegedly broke into, Smith was using a laptop in an automobile while parked outside Dinon’s residence.

There are many steps an owner of one of these access points can take to secure them from outside users. Dinon reportedly knew how to take these steps, but had not bothered because his “neighbors are older.”

Schriner previously ran for president in 2000, 2004, and 2008, but failed to gain much traction in the races. He announced his candidacy for the 2012 race immediately following the 2008 election. Schriner refers to himself as the “Average Joe” candidate, and advocates a pro-life and pro-environmentalist platform. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles, and has published public policy papers exploring solutions to American issues.

Wikinews reporter William Saturn? talks with Schriner and discusses his campaign.

Term life insurance is an important part of the financial planning process. It serves to provide financially for all of the loved ones in your family should you happen to pass away unexpectedly. But one of the important things that people do not put enough consideration into is how much coverage is actually enough. When looking at term life insurance quotes, how can you determine how much is actually going to be needed by your family, if they no longer have you there to depend on? When shopping around for quotes, consider the following information so that you may make the right, informed decisions.

Identifying the Basics of Term Life Insurance

The first thing that you need to remember is that the main purpose of

term life insurance

is to completely circumvent all financial stress in the event of your death, which means the foremost purpose of your term life insurance policy should be income replacement to protect your family. With that having been said, it is now important for you to understand how your lost salary will impact your loved ones if you pass away.

Make a list including how much money is spent on daily expenses, elderly family care, childcare, education, food, clothing, the mortgage, car or other vehicle payments, various forms of debt including loans and credit cards.

Now you should consider the costs for your last expenses, such as your funeral, burial and any necessary medical or hospital costs. Funerals can easily cost several thousands of dollars and this doesn’t even include any special requests or additional charges that may come up.

You must also consider your long-term expenses when researching term life insurance, including college tuitions, mortgage payments and a retirement fund for your spouse. If you want to leave any funds to local charities or organizations, this is also where those types of financial contributions would factor in. For more information on term life insurance visit

equote.com/li/termlifeinsurance.html

.

Next you should determine your assets, since you have already determined your financial needs and the financial needs of your loved ones. Factor in all of your current assets, including cash, stocks, savings, bonds, pension, social security and real estate. Subtract your assets from your expenses to figure out how much life insurance are you going to need to purchase in order to ensure that your family is financially comfortable following your death.

What’s next?

Now that you have a good idea of how much you are going to need, you should begin to shop around by looking at different term life insurance quotes to find out how much a policy is going to cost you. Make a point to sit down with a licensed term life insurance professional and they can walk you through the entire process. For a no obligation quote check out

equote.com/li/term-life-insurance-quote.html

.

It is extremely important that you take the time to do some homework when it comes to purchasing

term life insurance

, making sure you dont purchase coverage that is not needed or possibly purchasing too little coverage. Researching your insurance needs before hand will ensure that your family is safe and protected even if you pass away unexpectedly.

About the Author: Sharon Taylor writes articles for

eQUOTE Life Insurance

. eQUOTE is a leading Internet life insurance company providing families with no-obligation term life insurance quotes and other helpful family insurance resources since 1999.

Rafiq Qureshi, the father of Rubina Ali, a child star of the Academy Award winning movie Slumdog Millionaire, has been accused of trying to sell his daughter. Qureshi was brought in for questioning by Indian police after a British news agency made accusations that he tried to sell his daughter. Ali played the character Latika.

Ali was the youngest actress in the movie, only 9 years old. She currently resides in a very poor area of Mumbai with her step-mother, father, and brother. Funds have been set up for Ali’s education and the local government has agreed to give housing to the children in the family.

News of the World says the alleged sale came to light during a sting operation performed by the news agency. They allege that Qureshi tried to sell his daughter for US$290,000 (£200,000) to his brother-in-law Rajan More.

“On Sunday, Rubina’s mother Khurshid complained to us that her ex-husband was trying to sell her daughter, saying she saw some reports on television to that effect,” said deputy Indian police commissioner, Nisar Tamboli to Reuters. Police say he tried to sell Ali to his brother-in-law because the family was not happy with the amount of money Ali was getting from her role in the film. More says Ali is not happy with living with her father.

“I have to consider what’s best for me, my family and Rubina’s future. We’ve got nothing out of this film,” said Qureshi as alleged by News of the World who also alleges that Ali’s brother Mohiuddin was in on the plan.

The family denies any wrongdoing and denies they tried to sell Ali.

“We never thought that we would have to face this. We are poor people, for us, our children are everything. Why would we give her away like that?,” said Moinuddin Qureshi, the uncle of Ali.